The consortium Spie Sud Est/Yvroud Europeenne des Fluides, Feyzin secured the EUR7.6 million contract for equipment maintenance in the Grand Lyon tunnels, the most important of which are Fourviere (1,850 m), Croix-Rousse (1,750 m), Brotteaux-Servient and Vivier-Merle (336 m). For more, contact Communaute Urbaine de Lyon, fax +33 478 957097, or visit http://marches.grandlyon.com. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=058386-2010. 11/10...

Gähler und Partner AG of Ennetbaden have secured the EUR2.28 million contract for PM designer for safety refurbishment in 1.14 km-long Mosi tunnel on A4, near Brunnen. Contact OFROU, Zofingen, tel +41 6274575-11, fax -90, e-mail beschaffung.zofingen@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062920-2010. 11/10...

IG BP2, c/o Bänziger Partner AG of Zurich, secured the EUR2.63 million contract from BAMO for 5.7 km-long N3 Kerenzer tunnel. Contact OFROU, Winterthour, tel +41 522344-711, fax -790, e-mail winterthur@astra.admin.ch. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=062921-2010. 11/10..

Construction contract for Kuechelberg tunnel awarded to PAC SpA consortium, value EUR34,695,272 excluding VAT. More from PAC in Capo di Ponte, tel +39 0364331037, fax +39 036442303, e-mail info@pacspa.it and client APB in Bozen, tel +39 04714125-14, fax –39, e-mail gare-11.5@provincia.bz.it Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=071475-2010. 11/10...

Rete Ferroviaria Italiana SpA is inviting companies to prequalify for civil engineering work on railway tunnels in Italy. Further information and documents from Iacomino Raffaele at Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato in Milan, tel +39 02637 148-19, fax –20, e-mail dns-qs@rfi.it to whom requests to participate should be sent. Visit

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

Two workers died in an accident on 23^rd November when the Strazevica tunnel collapsed in the Belgrade suburb of Resnik. The tunnel in the southern Rakovica neighbourhood is part of a new ring road that has been in the works for some 10 years and aims to ease huge traffic jams in the Serbian capital. The accident was caused by damp soil falling. The project was being carried out by Energoprojekt with state funding. An investigation is under way. Visit www.energoprojekt.co.yu

Many vehicles, ambulances, firefighters, and police rushed to the scene. An entire squad of gendarmerie officers with shovels entered the tunnel to help with the evacuation of workers. Inside it was very dark and dusty and difficult to breathe. One of the victims had been pulled out alive, but died soon after, while the other victim was already dead when found hours after the accident when huge quantities of heavy, wet soil collapsed. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident.

Interior Ministry Chief of the Protection and Rescue Department Predrag Marić said that the rescue mission had finished at about 11:30 am. The accident happened at about 8:30 am. A large amount of damp and heavy soil fell on the workers that were in the tunnel. The first worker was waist-deep in the dirt, and firemen were able to pull him out after 40 minutes, but he died, probably as a result of internal injuries. The other worker was completely buried, so the rescue operation didn’t end until about 11:30 am. Besides the two deceased, there were no other injuries.

The first tube of the Strazevica tunnel, a 745 m-long project, was dug in January 2007 and the digging of the second tube is under way. Digging of the tunnel began in 1990 but was halted in 1996 and then resumed in September 2004. Read E-News Weekly 15/2007. 50-51/07.